God's Watchman - 9/20/09am

Ezekiel 33:1-6 -The responsibility of a watchman
Ezekiel 33:7-9 -Ezekiel made God’s watchman to Israel
Colossians 1:24-29 -Warning every man and teaching

A Watchman’s Warnings
God, through Ezekiel, warns that He “has no pleasure,” that is, He is displeased. This is a dire warning, as God’s displeasure has been made known to men in the past. Just Israel should have been striving to avoid God’s displeasure, we must as well. We must aim to be pleasing to the Lord.
Ezekiel 33:10-11 -Ezekiel is to warn that God is displeased
Numbers 11:1-3 -God is displeased and brings fire on the Israelites
II Samuel 11:26-12:15 -David displeased the Lord by sinning with Bathsheba, and God punishes David

Ezekiel warns that God will punish those who are guilty and reward those who are righteous. In this is both a warning and an encouragement. First, a warning against sin. Second, an encouragement to live upright and blameless. And just as the Lord did then, we know that we will be judged by our actions and hearts.
Ezekiel 33:12-16 -Ezekiel is to warn that God will punish the guilty but save the righteous
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 -The Lord judges all by their actions
Revelation 20:11-15 -All will be judged by their actions
John 5:24-30 -Christ judges justly

A People’s Response
Ezekiel 33:17-20 -The people complain that God’s way is “unfair”
Does this sound familiar? God has made the same promise: obey and be rewarded or disobey and punished. It’s reasonable, yet many call it unfair or unloving.

Ezekiel 33:21-22 -God’s judgment on Jerusalem is carried out
Ezekiel 33:23-29 -The reason Jerusalem feel was because of their wickedness
The judgment God had promised was carried out because of the sins of the people. Though they were warned clearly and plainly, the warning was not heeded, and destruction came.

Ezekiel 33:30-33 -The people hear, but do not obey God’s will
James 1:19-27 -Be doers, not only hearers of the word, deceiving yourselves
Just as they “listened” to Ezekiel, many “listen” to God today. It is essential that we do not be like the people in that day, but rather that we hear and faithfully obey the Lord.
I Corinthians 10:1-22 -Pay attention to Israel’s poor example, follow the Lord, do not turn aside to Idolatry and sin